Tuesday, 20 April 2010

The future looks bleak children

The meeting with local yellow, red, green and blue councillors wasn't rammed as I expected. My son asked to sit at the front, so I did, as I was afraid I wouldn't ask my question. There were only eight seats at the front and we were the only two. Seats only went back four rows, not full at all.

The councillors spoke for five minutes each then the floor was opened for questions, three of us at a time.

An old guy asked what "affordable housing" meant nowadays.The second guy spoke of those living in private bedsits paying higher council tax because their flats were seen as "self contained" even though the tenants shared bathrooms and kitchens with others.Me the third, asked: "Which one of you will give us a council flat when we are evicted in the summer?"

I expected answers to mine. The Tory answered the first two but not me, before it got handed over to the Green. He at least gave the most honest answer: "I don't know."

Labour, oh how fecking disappointing was Labour. He piled me in with the other 18,000 on the waiting list. Were there 18,000 people there? No. Was there another statutory homeless person there? No. I'm asking about me, this little boy, but didn't get my chance to say that because his monologue flew over to the Libdems.

Mr N, my nemesis. We meet at last. He mentioned Pathways (private renting to you and me, so a "no" then, no?) but then asked me to leave my details and he'd see what he could do. That meant something to me. In my note to him I put: "I am Sue de Nim, you know who I am.." Well he does. Now he really does. I wonder, does he think my "social profile" doesn't suit council housing too? He's right leaning but he's not Tory so perhaps not...

Suddenly, more questions from the floor. Hang on, not all mine were answered! The "mediator" wouldn't let me ask again, "against the rules" I heard Mr N say. I did wait to see if I could get in my little request for an answer, but my son was tired and was writing "I want to go home. I'm hungry. I'm tired" in his notebook. I couldn't stay until the end.

So there you have it, answers in a word or two on the future of children and secure housing:

Tory: NoGreen: Don't KnowLabour: NoLibdem: No, but he did ask for my details and the Pal's onto me at his Leader's request so one can't quite give up hope.

Emails tomorrow to the Tory and Labour guys. I'm not going to let this go. I can't.